Tri-Town Trojan teammates rush to celebrate winning the Tri-State League title with Trojan first baseman Coleby Bunnell Friday night at Municipal Stadium. More photos
WATERBURY, August 20, 2021 – One never knows where a championship celebration will be on the playing field when a group of athletes finally realize a long-sought goal or quest.
In baseball, celebrations frequently land on the pitcher’s mound. But when the Tri-Town Trojans won their third Tri-State League championship on Friday night at Municipal Stadium, the Trojans players immediately headed to first base to embrace Coleby Bunnell in hugs and tears.
Tri-Town pitcher Miles Scribner threw a complete game, allowing seven hits and striking out six in an 8-5 victory over the defending champion Terryville Black Sox as the Trojans collected their first league championship since 2018.
When the game’s final strike sailed past Terryville hitter Tyler Wenz, the celebration began for the Trojans, who are still mourning the loss of their long-time first baseman Joe Bunnell, who died 17 months ago at the age of 35 in an accident on the family farm.
“This means everything to get it for him,” Tri-Town player/manager Dan McCarty said, choking a bit to hold back the tears.
“He is one of the best people I’ve met in my life,” Scribner said. “it’s such a terrible situation that he is gone but we had to win for him.”
Joe Bunnell was a standout player at Litchfield High, graduating in 2003. He was a member of the first Trojan team in 2005 and played on championship teams in 2013 and 2018. He caught the final out that ended the 2018 championship series against these same Black Sox.
Twenty-four hours after the Trojans committed six errors in a 5-1 loss to Terryville to tie the best-of-3 series at 1-1, Tri-Town quickly ran out to an eight-run lead over the Black Sox on Friday night.
Tri-Town had 10 hits and scored six runs in the first innings and increased the lead to 8-0 after three innings.
“We jumped on them. We had good at-bats. That is what we do,” McCarty said.
Yet, Terryville made a game of it – even without two of their top three hitters, Tony Patone, a two-time league MVP and Andrew Hinckley who were unavailable.
“That hurts but you can’t make excuses,” Terryville player manager Dave Alarcon said. “We have depth and talent from (players) 1 through 23. Hats off to Tri-Town. They have guys that can do the job and they did the job today.”
Terryville baserunner Billy Armstrong will spin out of the way of Tri-Town third baseman Austin Patonoude in the seventh inning of Friday night’s game at Municipal Stadium. Armstrong was thrown out at home. More photos
The Black Sox scored four runs in the fifth inning, thanks in part, to a pair of Trojan errors on one play. They added a fifth run in the sixth inning.
With five unanswered runs, it looked like Terryville might make a run at the win. But the Black Sox ran themselves out of a rally and when an umpire’s decision went against them, they couldn’t hold their tongues with two players getting ejected for arguing the call.
“You can’t spot any team six or eight runs, especially a team that plays you a one-run ballgame 98 percent of the time,” Alarcon said. “I will say we had a lot of heart to come back. We dug back. We tried. No one had their heads down and that is all I can ask for.”
Tri-Town (20-4) took a 3-0 lead in the first inning thanks to five hits off Terryville starting pitcher Kyle Dube, including a two-run single from Coleby Bunnell and a RBI single from McCarty.
The Trojans added another three runs and four hits in the second inning for a 6-0 lead. McCarty had a two-run double while Mike Fabiaschi had a RBI single.
Reliever Kenny Kerski came in the second inning to slow the momentum. But Tri-Town added two more runs in the fifth inning on RBI singles from Brad Ellis and Austin Swanson for an 8-0 lead.
Terryville cut the lead in half in the fifth inning with four runs thanks to a pair of infield throwing errors and a RBI groundout by Connor McEvoy. The Black Sox cut the lead to three, 8-5, in the sixth on a RBI single from Mike Vaccorelli.
Terryville (25-4) threatened again in the seventh inning. Billy Armstrong reached base on a one-out walk and moved to second base when McEvoy drew a walk. Terryville catcher Alex Rauso (2-for-4, double) strode the plate. He ripped a hard shot down the third base line that deflected off the glove of Tri-Town third baseman Austin Patoneude.
Armstrong took off for third base and nearly collided with Patoneude, spinning around the Trojan infielder and getting to third base. Umpire Jim Shove called it incidental contact.
But Armstrong didn’t stop. He kept running for home.
Meanwhile, Tri-Town shortstop remained focused on the play. He chased down the ball that deflected off Patoneude’s glove and chased Armstrong down the third base line before making a soft toss to catcher Landon Gardella, who tagged out Armstrong at home plate for the second out of the inning.
Armstrong was livid, believing he had been interfered with running to third. He was thrown out of the game for arguing with the umpires along with McEvoy. Instead of bases loaded with one out, the Black Sox had runners on the corners (first and third base) with two outs.
Scribner got Gavin Lavalle to ground out to third base to end the inning and retire the side.
Tri-Town’s Coleby Bunnell holds the Tri-State League championship trophy after the Trojans beat Terryville, 8-5 to win their third Tri-State crown. More photos
“That is the biggest key with a big lead – throw strikes,” Scribner said. “You need to throw strikes and make plays. Our defense definitely helped us out in a key spot. That Fabiaschi play was an amazing play. That was a big league play right there.”
Swanson was 3-for-5 with a double and one RBI for Tri-Town while Patonoude, McCarty and Bunnell were each 2-for-5. Bunnell and McCarty each drove in two runs.
“No one expected us to win this game,” McCarty said. “Everyone thinks we’re going out. We played with a chip on our schooled and we played for (Joe Bunnell). He is here with us.”
Tri-Town was in the championship series for the eighth time in the last 11 years.
McCarty stood there with pride and his eyes red from tears. “All of these (Tri-Town) kids are from the northwest corner. I don’t recruit. We don’t have anyone from New Haven, West Haven. This is northwest corner baseball and this is what I am proud to represent (with) the Trojans.
“The last year has been tough for us for us,” he said. “To bring it home for him (Joe Bunnell) is great and for his brother to be at first base to fill his position was amazing. I am kinda speechless. No one expected this.”
Coleby Bunnell added, “It was a rush of emotions. But it felt good. We did it.”
The Tri-Town Trojans celebrate their third league championship on Friday night. More photos
NOTES: For Terryville, Rauso and Kyle Tehan were each 2-for-4 with a double. … A year ago, the Black Sox lost in the finals of the Connecticut Twilight League dropping game three of a best-of-3 series to the Rocky Hill Rockies. … The Black Sox, who won their first 20 Tri-State League games of the season, won the Tri-State title in 2019 with a win over Naugatuck. … Tri-Town had the added emotion of the final game for catcher Landon Gardella, who is moving out-of-state.
Tri-Town 8, Terryville 5
At Waterbury
Tri-Town (20-4) 330 020 000 — 8-13-3
Terryville (25-4) 000 041 000 — 5-7-2
Miles Scribner and Landon Gardella; Kyle Dube, Kenny Kerski (2) and Alex Rauso; WP: Scribner; LP: Dube; 2B: Austin Swanson (TT), Danny McCarty (TT), Matt Tacy (TT), Alex Rauso (Tv), Kyle Tehan (Tv)
2021 Tri-State League championship series
Best of 3
At Municipal Stadium, Waterbury
Wednesday, August 18
Tri-Town 5, Terryville 0
Thursday, August 19
Terryville 5, Tri-Town 1
Friday, August 20
Tri-Town 8, Terryville 5, Tri-Town wins series, 2-1
Recent Tri-State League championship series
2021: Tri-Town Trojans def. Terryville Black Sox, 2-1 (5-0, 1-5, 8-5)
2020: No season, pandemic
2019: Terryville Black Sox def. Naugatuck Dogs, 2-0 (4-2, 5-1)
2018: Tri-Town Trojans def. Terryville Black Sox, 2-1 (3-0, 7-10, 4-2)
2017: Naugatuck Dogs def. Tri-Town Trojans, 2-0 (13-2, 8-2)
2016: Watertown Blaze def. Naugatuck Dogs, 2-1 (4-2, 2-5, 3-1)
2015: Litchfield Cowboys def. Tri-Town Troians, 2-1 (3-0, 2-5, 4-1)
2014: Wolcott Scrappers def. Tri-Town Trojans, 2-0 (6-0, 4-2)
2013: Tri-Town Trojans def. Naugatuck Dogs, 2-1 (2-0, 4-8, 2-1 in 12)
2012: Litchfield Cowboys def. Waterbury Wild, 2-1 (1-11, 6-4, 5-3)
2011: Litchfield Cowboys def. Tri-Town Trojans, 2-0 (7-2, 2-1)
2010: Bethlehem Plowboys def. Tri-Town Trojans, 2-0 (5-3, 2-1)
2009: Brass City Brew def. Bethlehem Plowboys, 2-0 (4-1, 3-1)
2008: Winsted Whalers def. Brass City Brew, 2-1 (1-6, 7-4, 5-3)
